SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Illinois House has approved legislation to cap the amount diabetes patients must pay for insulin to $100 a month.
The vote Wednesday to answer skyrocketing prescription insulin costs was 100-13. The Senate has approved the idea but a change in the House requires another Senate vote.
Democratic Rep. Will Guzzardi of Chicago says his measure caps monthly out-of-pocket costs. It applies to state-regulated commercial insurance companies. Federally regulated insurance plans are not covered.
Insulin is necessary for people with diabetes to regulate blood sugar levels. About 1.3 million Illinois residents have diabetes, although not all rely on insulin.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s supports the plan. His office cites data indicating that insulin brands that sold for $40 in 2001 now sell for $289.
